Handbag



E. KONELSKY Nov. 23, 1937.

HANDBAG Filed Oct. 17, 1956 VENTOR.

ORNEY.

Patented Nov. 23, 1937 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claim.

This invention relates to devices such as containers, handbags and the like, and to devices such as closures of the slide fastener type.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having improved means for opening and closing an opening of normally substantial area without requiring any distortion of the main part of the body in which the opening is provided.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described comprising a strip closure element which, in the op n position of the fastening, assumes a folded or compacted relation such that it will not obstruct the opening or otherwise interfere with the free use of the device.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a device of the nature set forth including parallel slide fasteners for an opening and a single actuator for the slides thereof adapted to also act m as 'a closure for an end of the opening.

Heretofore handbags have been provided with a single slide fastener which necessitated considerable spreading and distortion of the bag to afford free access to the contents. If the bag 5 was bulged by the contents, difficulty was frequently encountered in closing the bag, because of sticking of the slide fastener.

It is therefore an object of the invention to overcome the above mentioned difficulties, and 30 to provide a handbag which is normally not distorted whether open or closed.

A further object of the invention is to furnish a device of the character mentioned having few and simple parts, and which is inexpensive to 5 manufacture and assemble, durable, reliable, ac-

curate, easy and efflcient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds. I 40 With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed 45 drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing 50 a device embodying the invention, in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation thereof in open position. as Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a plate actuator.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on the line i'! of Fig. 6, 5

Fig. 8 is a top plan view showing a modification of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a modified attachin means for the slide elements.

The advantages of the invention as here out 10 lined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to 15 which the inventionappertains, that the same. may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exempliflcation of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, l0 denotes a device such as a container, handbag or other article adapted to have an opening thatis to be releasably closed. The bag of the device l0 may have side walls I], arranged so as to be amply spaced apart at the top marginal opening l2. The latter is of substantial width, being provided preferably by longitudinal parallel slits or margins l3, and an end slit or margin to thus define a strip closure element [5, which is connected at 3Q its other end to the bag wall, as at l6. Theclosure element i5 is interfitted in the bag walls so as to lie substantially in the plane thereof in a neat and compact manner.

Releasably interengaging the longitudinal parallel edges of the closure element l5 and the opening i2 are slide means of any suitable type, for example, slide fasteners comprising rows of hooks l'l connected to the different edges, and actuated by a suitable operating means such as 40 the sliders 18. The otherwise free end IQ of the strip closure I5 is, however, free'of the slide fasteners. I I

For actuating the slide fasteners as a unit, an actuator 20 is provided. The same may comprise 4,5 a holder portion such as a rigid plate 2| arranged to closely overlie the closure IS. The sliders l8 may be connected to this plate by rigid means, such asa wire 22 soldered or spot welded thereto and having downwardly bent portions 23 adapted to engage the sliders l8 as by passing through the upright flanges thereof as at 24. If desired, the wire may be soldered to said flanges, so that relative movability between the sliders is limited or substantially entirely eliminated. Thus the sliders may be readily moved in true alinement with the rows of interengaging hooks ll. Moreover, any upward pull on the plate 2| is taken up by both slide fasteners, so that distortion is avoided and easy operation assured.

vIf desired, the plate 2| may be encased between a pair of leather pieces or plates such as 24, 25, and an ornamental button or finger piece 26 may be suitably secured thereon.

The elongation of the actuator 20 is sufficient so that the ends thereof may act as finger pieces adapted to be grasped to cause opening and closing movement of the slide fasteners. Aid in this action may be afforded by the end tabs 21, 28 connected to the bag at the opposite ends of the opening |2.

To prevent the closure strip i5 from dangling down or interfering with the access to the bag in the open position thereof, the end 9 of the closure is connected at 29 to the actuator 20. Since the closure is highlyflexible it can fold at any point, from full closed to full open position, shown in Fig. 3, in which the closure strip assumes a highly compacted form. In the closed position of the bag, the actuator 20 overlaps the end ll of the opening I 2 to a suillcient degree to properly close the same. V

It will now be seen that the device Hi can be opened up by a single motion to afford an opening the full width of the bag. The bag contents are then easily viewed and are accessible without distorting the bag. The opening action is easily effected by grasping the left end of the actuator 20 in one hand and pulling it toward the tab 21, which is grasped in the other hand. A reverse action in conjunction with the tab 28 is used to close the bag. During the closing, the slide fasteners are not subjected to any lateral pull due to any possible bulging of the side walls I I by the contents of the bag, because the slide fasten ers embrace a substantial area. Hence sticking and catching is avoided. The sliders l8 work true with their respective rows of hooks or fastening elements, and finally the actuator 20 closes the end H of the bag opening.

When the bag is open the strip closure is in folded compacted form. The closely overlying position of the actuator 20 in slidable relation to the closure 5 also makes for compactness and ease of operation.

The strip element when in such open position functions very conveniently as a handle for the bag. The operator can securely grasp the loop in one hand while removing contents from the bag with the other hand. Since the walls of the bag are flexible, such holding of the bag precludes any collapse of the bag by holding pressure.

In Fig. 8 isshown a device 30 embodying a modification of the invention. This device is exactly the same as the device l0 except that the strip closure 5 is detached at both ends from the bag, a means 20 being provided at each end of the strip cover for suitable actuation of the releasable fastening means from either end, for the added convenience of the operator. Moreover, by opening the slide fasteners at both ends of the cover member, an article too large to be completely housed in the bag, maybe received 01'. secured therein, with the end portions projecting from opposite ends of the bag opening.

In Fig. 9 is shown a sectional view of a modified means of interconnecting elements l8, including a plate 35 corresponding to plate 2|, andhaving openings at 36 formed to each provide opposed downward projecting tongues 31 between which an element I8 is insertable so as to be gripped thereby upon pressing the plate 2| downward on the elements l8 to flatten the tongues 31 as shown at the left, causing the'tongues to lock into the channel spaces of the elements i 8.

I claim: s a

1. A generally rectangular ladies handbag including an edge wall having parallel slits, a cross slit at one end thereof to constitute the material intermediate of the parallel slits, a strip-like closure connected at the other end to the container, releasable interconnecting means between the edges of the respective parallel slits, sliders for operating the individual interconnecting means, a rigid finger piece actuator member-,- means rigidly connecting the member to the sliders for moving the latter in true alinement with the interconnecting means, said member extending slidably transversely over the strip-like closure and having means for its manipulation intermediate of the sliders for actuating the latter as a unit.

2. A narrow elongated ladies" handbag including an edge wall having an elongated opening and a strip portion consisting of flexible material connected at one end to said wall' to close said opening, with the opposite end of the strip portion free of the wall, the longitudinal edges of said opening and strip portion being free and having releasable interengaging means extending therealong, individual slide elements for operating the interengaging means, means consisting of rigid material interconnecting the slide elements for actuation thereof as a unit, said means closely overlying the strip portion in the engaged and released positions of the interengaging means and serving to rigidly space the slider elements at a fixed distance from each other in opening and closing movements of said elements.

3. A ladies handbag including'an edge wall having an elongated opening and a strip portion connected at one end to said wall to close said opening, with the opposite end of the strip portion free of'the wall, the longitudinal edges of said opening and strip portion being free and having releasable interengaging means extending therealong, individual slide elements for operating the interengaging means, means interconnecting the slide elements for actuation thereof as a unit, said means closely overlying the strip portion in the engaged and released positions of the interengaging means, said interconnecting means having an extension for overlying the free end of the strip portion in the closed position thereof.

4. A container including a wall having an opening, and a flap like closure element for said opening adaptedto lie in the plane of said wall in interfitted relation with said opening, the closure having its opposite longitudinal edges parallel and in relative proximity to each other, the closure having a free end, slide fasteners for the parallel edges, operating means therefor, the '-slide fasteners terminating at. the freeend of ing adapted to lie in the plane of said wall in.

interfitted relation with said opening, the closure having its opposite longitudinal edges parallel and in relative proximity to each other and hav-' as and for the purpose set forth.

element so as to fold back upon itself upon moving the operating means toward open position. 6. A device including a wall having an elongated opening and a strip portion connected at one end to said wall to close the said, opening, with the opposite end of the strip portion free of the wall, the longitudinal edges of said opening and strip portion being free and having releasable interengagingmeans extending therealong, individual slide elements for operating said interengaging means, means interconnecting the slide elements for actuation thereof as a unit, and means interengaging the free end of the strip portion with the interconnecting means.

' 7. A narrow'elongated ladies handbag having an opening along an edge thereof, a strip element for closing said opening, said strip element having parallel longitudinal edges, slide fasten.-

ers for connecting said edges to the adjoining edges of said opening, and relatively rigid means engaged with the slide fasteners for actuating both of them as a unit.

8. A narrow elongated ladies handbag having an opening along an edge thereof, a strip element for closing said opening, said strip element having parallel longitudinal edges, 'slide fasteners for connecting said edges to the adjoining edges of said opening, and means engaged with the slide fasteners for actuating both of them as a unit, said means including a perforated plate overlying the strip element and connected to the sliders of the slide fastener means at the perforations of the plate. j

9-. A ladies handbag having an opening along an edge thereof, a strip element for closing said opening, said strip element having parallel longitudinal edges, slide fasteners for connecting said edges to the adjoining edges of said opening, and means engaged with the slide fasteners including an actuator plate connected to the sliders of the slide fastener means, said plate having an extension for overlapping an adjacent and of the opening in the closed position of the handbag, said strip element terminating within said adjacent end oi said opening.

10. A handbag having an elongated opening, a fiexiblestrip like cover for said opening, one end of the cover beingconnected to the bag in relatively fixed relation thereto, and holding means for the cover slidably connecting the other end of the cover to the bag to permit the cover to be moved and folded into open position, said strip like cover in the open position affording a looped handle for the bag.

11. A handbag provided with an elongated opening, a strip cover for said opening, releasable fastening means extending along and interconnecting the free longitudinal edges of said opening and said strip cover, elements at each end of each fastening means for controlling the same, means for interconnecting a pair of the elements at each end of the strip cover for actu-' ation of the pair of elements as a unit, whereby the strip cover can be released to full open position from either end thereof and the strip cover can be partially opened at both ends to provide a centrally closed bag opening open at its ends for holding a projecting article in the bag. 7

12. A device including a ladies handbag consisting of a receptacle having generally parallel side walls, and narrow bottom and end walls,.said receptacle having a top opening extending from end to end thereof and being substantially the full width of the handbag for easy access thereinto, a strip of pliable material forming a closure for said opening, and slide fasteners for interconnecting the longitudinal edges of the strip closure with the edges of said opening, including slide means for the slide fasteners, and means interconnecting the slide means for operation as ERNEST KONELSKY. 

